4 Tricks For Creating A Cheap DIY Halloween Costume

By Nicole Ryan, Student Blogger

It’s officially October, which means Halloween is just around the corner! If you’re like me you’ve probably already begun to yourself that age-old question, “What am I going to be this year?” If you’ve been thinking about buying an expensive Halloween costume, don’t! There are plenty of costumes you can throw together and make your own that’ll be much cheaper than buying one. For college students on a budget, making your own costume instead of buying an over-priced one at the store can be a big savings. Use some creativity (and have plenty of fun in the process), and come up with your own unique Halloween creation!

Here are 4 tricks for coming up with the perfect Halloween costume without breaking the bank.

1. Find Out What You Already Have

Dig through your closet to see what you might have lying around. Some old, torn jeans and a worn-out flannel could be the beginning of an epic zombie costume! Don’t rush out to buy things before checking out what you already have. You’ll be surprised what you find. There may be some clothes you forgot you even had.

2. Thrift Stores

If you’re looking for some cheap materials to help you create the ultimate DIY Halloween costume, be sure to check out some thrift stores. Goodwill, for example, is a great place to pick up any items you may need to complete your look. They have every type of clothing and accessory imaginable. Often times, during October Goodwill will have a Halloween section with a lot of the same things you would find in the pricey Halloween stores, but for a much more affordable price.

3. Collaborate With Friends

Ask your friends what they’re doing for Halloween. Maybe you can collaborate on a fun group costume! A classic example of this would be you and your friends going as the mystery gang from Scooby Doo. When you do a group costume, you can borrow clothes from each other, split costs, and shop around to find the cheapest deals. This can often times prove to be cheaper and more fun than trying to come up with and make a costume on your own.

4. Stick To Your Skill Level

When making your own Halloween costume, don’t try to tackle an elaborate idea if you know you don’t have the skill level to make it. Halloween should be fun, not stressful! Making your costume should be easy and enjoyable to do. When you try to accomplish a project without the skill level to do so, you could end up wasting a lot of materials. So save your money and frustration and stick to a costume that you know you can conquer!

Keep in mind, some costumes could be seen as offensive and hurtful by perpetuating cultural stereotypes. CU has a campaign called, “We’re a culture, not a costume” which reminds students that some costumes can negatively impact people and cultures that are valued members of our community. Please consider this while coming up with and creating your costume!